bank in Kent; his name became a sign for silence, and you were allowed to
infer that Gorley's relatives had made good the deficit and so avoided a
criminal prosecution. It was not surprising, then, that Gorley, on
hearing of Drake's intended march to Boruwimi, should wish to take
service under his command. He called upon Drake with that request, was
confronted with the current story, and invited to disprove it. Gorley
read his man shrewdly, and confessed the truth of the charge without an
attempt at mitigation. He asked frankly for a place in the troop, the
lowest, as his chance of redemption, or rather demanded it as a grace due
from man to man. Drake was taken by his manner, noticed his build, which
was tough and wiry, and conceded the request. Nor had he reason to regret
his decision on the march out. Gorley showed himself alert, and vigilant,
a favourite with the blacks, and obedient to his officers. He was
advanced from duty to duty; a week before the force began its homeward
march from Boruwimi he was sent out with a body of men to forage for
provisions. Three days later a solitary negro rushed into camp, one of
the few survivors of his tribe, he said. He told a story of food freely
given, a village plundered and burned for thanks, of gold-dust stolen and
the owners murdered that they might the better hold their tongues. He
signified Gorley as the culprit. Drake, guided by the negro, marched
towards the spot. He met Gorley and his company half-way between Boruwimi
and the village, carried him along with him, and proved the story true.
Against Gorley's troops no charge could be sustained; they had only
obeyed orders. But Gorley he court-martialled, and the result has been
described.

This was the incident which Drake was unwilling to commit to the
discretion of the editor of the _Meteor_. He had discovered Gorley's
relations in England, and had written to them a full account of the
affair, despatching with his letter a copy of the evidence given at the